Apparatus for making a pattern on a fibrous web

ABSTRACT

A web is transported on a table crossed by a needle holder bar in which a row of needles is mounted for movement between retracted and advanced positions. Selected needles of the row are locked in the advanced position by control means of the Jacquard machine type. When the table with the web is moved toward the needles, the selected locked needles penetrate the web, forming depressed portions in the same, while the non-selected freely movable needles are pushed back by the web to retracted positions. After each step of the web, a row of depressed and non-depressed portions is formed so that the depressed portions form a depressed pattern on the web. If the web has two layers of different colors, fibers of the depressed portions of one layer are pushed through the other layer and form a colored pattern on the face of the same.

O Umted States Patent [151 3,703,752 Schulte [451 Nov. 28, 1972 [54]APPARATUS FOR MAKING A 3,077,017 2/1963 Harmon ..19/161 P PATTERN ON AFIBROUS WEB 2,132,530 10/ 1938 Greiser ..28/4 R {72] Inventor; AlfonsSchulte Bochohlwestfalen, 2,773,515 12/1956 Dalle ..139/59 Gemmy PrimaryExaminerJames Kee Chi [73] Assignee: Finns Johann Borgers KG,Att0meyMichael S. Striker Bocholt/Westfalen, Germany [22] Filed: Oct.26, 1970 [57] CT A web is transported on a table crossed by a needle[21] Appl' 84062 holder bar in which a row of needles is mounted formovement between retracted and advanced positions. [30] Foreign A li tiP i it D t Selected needles of the row are locked in the advancedposition by control means of the Jacquard Oct. 24, 1969 Germany ..P 1953 494.2 machine type w e the table with the web i moved toward theneedles, the selected locked needles [52] U.S. Cl. ..28/4 R, 28/722 Rpenetrate the web forming depressed portions in the Cl. ..m4h sarnewhile the non selected freely movable needles Fleld of Search ..28/4 R,4 N, R, P, are the web to retracted positions 28/72 19/161 161 Aftereach step of the web, a row of depressed and 59, 317 non-depressedportions is formed so that the depressed portions form a depressedpattern on the [56] References Cited web.

UNITED STATES PATENTS If the web'has two layers of different colors,fibers of the depressed portions of one layer are pushed Williams et al...28/4 R through the other layer and form a colored pattern on 2,158,5335/1939 Cavey ..28/4 R the face of the same 1,962,950 6/1934 Cochrane..28/4 R 3,368,256 2/1968 Fehrer et a1 ..28/4 R 13 Claims, 4 DrawingFigures APPARATUS FOR MAKING A PATTERN ON A FIBROUS WEB BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for forming arelief pattern, or colored pattern, on a web, preferably a webconsisting of a fibrous material.

It is known to stitch a fibrous web by needles in order to mechanicallystrengthen the web, and the fibers of the web maybe additionally bondedby an adhesive. Webs treated in this manner have a felt-like appearance, and are used as floor coverings, decorative material, andfurniture upholstering material. Depending on the intended use, thematerial, thickness and stiffness of the finished product-aredetermined. In contrast to woven or knitted textile fabrics, it is verydifficult to provide a design or pattern on a web reinforced bystitching. There is the possibility of using fibers of different colorin the fleece before the same is stitched, and the stitched web has amarble design. It is not possible to produce design patterns by thismethod.

It has also been proposed to imprint fibrous fleeces in different colorsbefore the'stitching with needles. This has the disadvantage that theprinting and drying is time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, it isnot possible to penetrate the inner layers of the fleece by colors anddyes. This is particularly important for a good patterned design whichcan be made subject to great wear.

It is also known to produce strip-shaped patterns by needles ofdifferent length, or by arranging the needles at different distancesfrom each other. Very simple patterns can be obtainedin this manner.Another possibility is to move the needle transversely to the directionof movement of the web between successive needle operations so thatrepeated design patterns, for example a checkerboard design, can beobtained.

It is also known to arrange needles in accordance with a desiredpatten,'and penetrate the web by a single stroke of all needles so thata short pattern can be repeated on the web by transporting the webstepwise. The arrangements of the priorart for forming a pattern on afibrous web permit only the making of very narrow design patterns whichhave to be repeated at short distances, since otherwise the number ofneedles becomes too high, and the control of the machine toocomplicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of theinvention to provide anapparatus for forming a relief pattern, or a colored pattern on afibrous web reinforced by stitching.

Another object of the invention is to place needles selectively, andunder the control of program control means, in selectedv positions inwhich they penetrate into a fibrous web, while other needles are notselected, and do not penetrate into the web.

The objects of the invention are obtained in accordance with theinvention by mounting needles in a needle holder for longitudinalmovement, and to lock selected needles so that, the same can penetratethe web, while non-selected needles are pushed back by the web toinoperative positions, and do not penetrate the web. An apparatusconstructed in this manner is extremely simple, and in order to obtain apattern on-a web, it is only necessary to determine the desired pattern,and to set program control means accordingly, so that the programcontrol means select the locked needles in accordance with the pattern.A card with punched holes can be used for this purpose with a Jacquardmachine. The presence or absence of punched holes detemtines whether alocking means is operated, or not operated for locking, or not locking,the respective correlated needles, and as explained 0 above, only thelocked needles are capable of penetrating the web, and to form adepressed pattern portion in the same. Mechanical or electrical sensingmeans may be used for sensing the holes in the card.

However, it is evident that other program control means, responding tomagnetic or electric signals recorded on a magnetic tape, may be used.

The record carrier on which the program is recorded, is stepwise sensed,and the determined control impulses automatically carried out by thecontrol means, so that the locking means either lock or release therespective needles. When a locking means is in the locking position, therespective needle is locked, and cannot be displaced by the web movingtoward the needle, so that the needle penetrates into the web. When theweb moves away from the needle holder with the needles, the web isstripped off the needles. Those needles which are not locked are pushedby other portions of the web to an inoperative position completelylocated in the needle holder means.

In accordance with the control signals from the program control means,the needles produce in successive operational cycles, stitches ofdifferent density in accordance with the pattern recorded as a program.If in one portion of the web, a number of needles produce densestitches, the fibers or threads of a the web are depressed to asubstantial degree, and are compressed so that the respectivesurfaceportion of the web is depressed and lower than the other surfaceportions in which due to unlocking of the needles, the needles wereunable to penetrate the fabric by densely arranged stitches. In thismanner, a relief pattern is obtained, since the portions of the web withdense stitches are thinner than portions of the web where the stitchingis less dense.

If the web consists of two layers of different colors which aresuperimposed and then together stitched in accordance with theinvention, a colored pattern is obtained on the side of the web remotefrom the needles. Due to the stitching by the needles, the rear face ofone layer is compressed in certain pattern determined portions, and thefibers are pushed from this layer into and through the other layer andform a pattern on the front face of the other layer. Dependent on thedensity of the stitching by the needles, the original color of the frontlayer is changed by fibers of the rear layer. Where web portions in theoriginal color of the front layers are desired, the web is not stitchedin the respective region, or only stitched by a few needles which arelocked in accordance with the invention.

Irrespective of whether a relief pattern, or a colored pattern isdesired, the final pattern is influenced by the color, layer, thickness,density of the stitching, and by the material of the web. If in theinitial material, a comparatively large layer is penetrated by theneedles, a clear relief structure is obtained if stitching of differentdensity is applied to different portions of the pattern.

On the other hand, if thin fibrous layers are used, and there is notmuch difference in the density of the stitching, the relief pattern isnot pronounced, but the color pattern on the other side of the web isclearly discernable.

If the desired pattern requires comparatively large web portions whichare not stitched, it is advisable to place a powder of a thermoplasticsynthetic bonding agent between the layers of the web, and to heat theweb after stitching so that the layers are not only connected by thestitching, but also by the bonding agent, and adhesively adhere to eachother. For heating and drying the bonding agent, it is advantageous toblow hot air into the fibrous web, since in this manner, the bondingagent is quickly heated.

If only a colored design pattern is desired, and no relief pattern iswanted, while a web of great thickness is required, it is possible tomount the stitched web on a reinforcing other web and to loosely stitchthe two webs to each other so that the colored design of the patternedweb forms the front face of the finished composite fabric, while therelief structure is covered.

The apparatus of the invention not only permits the stitching of the webto be of different density, in accordance with the pattern, but it isalso possible to permit the needles to penetrate to different depths ofthe web. In one arrangement, several rows of needles are mounted in theneedle holders, which are of different length, or perform strokes ofdifferent length relative to the web. By controlling the locking meansfor the needles of different length, it is possible that stitches areeither made by a long deeply penetrating needle, or by a short, lessdeep penetrating needle.

Another possibility is to associate each needle with several lockingmeans which in the operative locking positions thereof partly or totallyprevent the displacement of the needles. For example, if a first lockingmeans is placed in the locking position, the needle is supported duringthe working stroke, and will penetrate the web. However, if the firstlocking means unlocks the needle, but another locking means for the sameneedle is moved to the locking position, during the following stroke ofthe machine, the needle can be pushed into the holder for a shortdistance, until abutting the second locking means so that the needlepenetrates into the fabric for a shorter distance than when locked bythe first locking means. In this manner, although the stroke for movingthe web and the needles toward each other remains the same,nevertheless, the first and second locking means can be actuated by theprogram control means in accordance with the program to produce deeperor less deep penetration of needles into the fabric, depending on theactuation of the first or second locking means.

In a modified arrangement of the construction in which needles ofdifferent length are used, different needles have different hooks whichare of different size, or provided on the needle in a different number.The hooks displace fibers or thread portions of the web when penetratinginto the same. Difierent hooks displace different amounts of fibers.

It will be seen that the apparatus of the invention permits the makingof a very wide range of different patterns, which may be combined. Thetermination, or the variation, of the program can be quickly and easilycarried out by using a different card with differently punched holes inthe pattern control means.

An embodiment of the invention comprises supporting means, preferablyincluding a table for a fibrous web; transporting means, preferablysecured to the supporting means for transporting the web stepwise in onedirection; a needle holder for guiding a plurality of needles between aninoperative position located in the needle holder, and an operativeposition projecting from the same toward the web; a plurality of lockingmeans, preferably including locking latches, cooperating with theneedles, respectively, and having an inoperative position and a lockingposition for locking the respective needle in the operative position;and control means for actuating selected locking means to move to thelocking position so that the respective needles are locked after a stepof the web.

During relative movement between the supporting means and table and theneedle holder toward each other, the locked needles penetrate in theoperative position into the web for depressing the penetrated portionsof the web, while non-selected locking means permit other portions ofthe web to push the respective needles to the inoperative position sothat other portions of the web are not depressed. The pressed and otherportions of the web from a pattern.

The needle holder has a row of guideways in the form of stepped bores,in which the needles are guided. Each bore has a rearward portion and aforward portion of smaller diameter. Each needle has a main portionslidably fitting into the forward portion, and a head portion at therear end slidably fitting into the rearward portion of the stepped bore.The head portion of the needle abuts a shoulder formed between therearward larger and forward smaller portions of the guideway. Therearward portion of the guideway is at least as long as the distancewhich the front portion of the needle projects from the needle holderwhen locked by the locking means.

Each locking means includes a locking latch urged by a spring into therespective guideway, and moving behind the head portion of the needle inthe locking position, preventing a pushing in of the needle by thepenetrated web. An actuating element is connected to each locking latch,for example a harness cord of a Jacquard mechanism, which senses a cardhaving a pattern programmed in the form of punched holes. When thelocking latch is withdrawn to an inoperative position, against theaction of its spring, there is no resistance of the needle to movementinto the needle holder, and the needle is pushed in by the engagedportion of the web.

If a needle which was not locked by its locking means, has been pushedback into its inoperative position located in the needle holder, it isnecessary to move the needle back to the operative position before thenext operational cycle so that needles can be locked or unlocked for thenext operation in accordance with the program. Since the movement of theneedles by gravity is not reliable, the preferred embodiment of theinvention provides pins which reciprocate with the supporting means ofthe web, but are arranged at the rear ends of the guideways in which theneedles are mounted, so that, when the web moves away from the needles,the pins enter the guideways and push the needles from the retractedinoperative position to the advanced operative position, in which theycan be locked, or not locked, in accordance with the pattern.

Preferably, the supporting means for the table, the transporting meansfor the web, the support of the pins and a stripper means between theneedles and the web, form a unit which is together reciprocated towardand away from the needle holder by a cam and cam follower linkage.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in panicular in the appended claims.

The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and itsmethod of operation, together with additional objects and advantagesthereof, will be best understood from the following description ofspecific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 has a lower portion which is across-sectional view illustrating an apparatus of the invention, and anupper portion which is a schematic side view illustrating a programcontrolled means for operating the locking means, and being shown on anenlarged scale;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a portion of a web provided with acolored pattern in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line IIIIII in FIG. 2, andillustrating a web having two layers with a relief pattern, and coloredpattern, respectively; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a fabric composed of the web of FIGS. 2 and 3 mountedby thread stitches on a supporting fabric. I

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The lower portion of FIG. 1illustrates a stitching apparatus in accordance with the invention, andthe upper portion illustrates a program control apparatus by which thestitching apparatus 10 is controlled.

The stitching apparatus 10 has a single needle holder bar 12 providedwith a single row of needles 13, of which only one needle in front ofthe row is shown. The needles are uniformly spaced along the row, and itis possible to provide several parallel rows of needles in the needleholder, or to provide several needle holders, each of which has one rowof needles, but the simple arrangement of FIG. 1 will now be describedas characteristic of the invention.

Needle holder 12 is fixedly secured on the frame of the machine, notshown, and has a stepped guideway or bore 14 for each needle 13. Thelower forward portion of each guideway has a smaller diameter than thehigher rearward portion of the guideway 14. The needle has a frontportion slidingly fitting into the forward portion of guideway 14, and ahead portion 17 at its rear end slidably fitting into the rearwardportion of the guideway. In the illustrated operative position of aneedle 13, the head portion 17 abuts the annular shoulder between theforward and rearward portions of guideway 14. The length of the rearwardportion of guideway 14 is at least as great as the distance 18 which thefront portion of needle 13 projects from the needle holder 12. Eachneedle 13 has a retracted inoperative position completely located withinthe needle holder bar 12, and in the retracted position, as well as inthe illustrated operative position, each needle is guided by therespective forward portion of guideway 14 along the length 16.

The front end 19 of each needle 13 has lateral notches which form hooksor barbs for engaging the fibers of a fibrous web 20 which is located ona table 26 and transported by transporting rollers 23, 24.

Supporting means, not shown, support not only table 26, but also theshafts of transporting rollers 23, 24, and are reciprocable by cammeans, not shown, to move in the direction of the double arrow 30 towardthe row of needles and away from the same. After such a reciprocatingmovement, transporting rollers 23, 24 are operated to move the web onestep in the direction of the arrow 22 whereupon the web stops to bepenetrated by, and removed from the row of locked needles 13 during thefollowing reciprocating strokes of table 26. Table 26 has a transverseslot 27 permitting passage of the front ends 19 of needles 13 when thesame are locked in the position shown in FIG. 1. Above the web 20, astripper plate 28 is provided which also has a slot 29 for the passageof needles 13 registering with the same and with slot 27. Stripper plate28 is also secured to the supporting means of table 26 and of thetransporting rollers 23,24, and reciprocates with the same. When table26 with the web 20 moves away from the needles after a penetration, thestripper plate 28 pulls the web off the needles so that the web remainson the top surface of table 26. The needle holder bar 12 has a row oftransverse bores and corresponding recesses 33 in the region of theshoulder between the wider and narrower portions of the guideways 14,and in each bore, a locking latch 31 is located which is also mounted ona supporting bracket 32 for movement into and out of the respectiveguideway 14. A spring 34 abuts bracket 32 and the needle holder bar 12,and urges the locking latch 31 by means of a transverse plate on thesame, into guideway 14 and recesses 33. The other end 35 of lockinglatch 31 is connected to a cord or other actuating element 36 of theprogram control means shown in the upper portion of FIG. 1. If a cord 36is pulled upward, as will be described hereinafter, the respectivelocking latch 31 is pulled back to an inoperative position out of thelocking position shown in FIG. 1, and in the inoperative position of anylocking latch 31, the rearward guideway portion is free, and therespective needle 13 can be pushed to a position completely retractedinto the needle holder bar 14.

In the locking position of the locking means 31, the respective needle13 is supported, so that when the table 26 with the web 20 is movedtoward the needle holder bar 12, the front end 19 of the needlepenetrates the web 20 compressing and depressing the same by the barbsand hooks at the front end 27. Due to the fact that the locking latch islocated behind the head 17 of the needle, the needle cannot yield duringthe upward stroke of the table 26 with web 20. During the followingdownward stroke of table 26 with web 20, the web is pulled off the frontend portion 19 of needle 13, par ticularly due to the action of thestripper plate 28, and a locked needle 13 cannot follow this downwardmovement since its head portion 17 abuts the shoulder between the widerand narrower portions of guideway 14. As noted above, when penetrationof the web by a needle 13 is not desired, the respective locking latch31 is withdrawn from the respective guideway 14 so that the respectiveneedle 13 is freely movable to a retracted position when its-front endis pushed back by the upwardly moving web and table 26. Which of theneedles are selected to be locked in the operative position, and whichare not selected and are not locked, is determined by the programcontrol means shown in the upper part of FIG. 1 which is constructed inthe manner of a Jacquard machine. The entire program for controlling theneedles 13 in successive positions of the transported web 20, isrecorded on a card 40 which carries information concerning the entirepattern of the web. The recording takes'place by means of punched holesin the card 40, which represent information for locking the needles,while unpunched portions of the card 40, or absence of punched holes orsimilar marks, indicates the unlocking of the respective needle 13 ofthe row.

The holes for each operational cycle are combined in groups and containthe entire information for all needles of the apparatus. The groups ofholes are sensed by the sensing mechanism 41, and after each group ofholes has been sensed, the card 40 is transported by a transportingsprocket 42 until the next group of punched holes is placed under thesensing means 41. The control means in the upper portion of FIG. 1 areshown at an enlarged scale as compared with the lower portion of FIG. 1illustrating the apparatus 10. The sensing mechanism 41 has a pluralityof thin sensing needles 43 which are held by suitable holding means in avertical position above the read out portion of the cylindrical card 42.Only the front row of the feeler needles 43 is shown in the drawingbecause eight adjacent needles 43 perform the task of reading out theinformation contained on corresponding sensed portions of card 40.Rearwardly of the illustrated feeler needles 43, many rows ofcorrespondingly constructed feeler needles are provided, which cooperatewith other parts which are shown for the front row of needles 43. Thenumber of rows of eight needles 43 corresponds to the number of needles13 in the needle holder. Each of the feeler needles 43 is pivotallyconnected with a plate 44 whose end rests on a comb structure 45, andwhose other end is guided in an opening of a perforated support plate46. Plates 44 respectively cooperate with needles 47 which have hookscooperating with plates 48 having hook-shaped upper portions 54cooperating with knives 49. Plates 48 are respectively connected withthe cords 36 which leads to the ends 37 of the locking latches 31.

The operation of the control means 11 will now be explained withreference to the operation of the locking means 31 of the illustratedneedle 13. It is assumed that a needle 13 is associated with the feelerneedle 43 of the sensing means 41. In order to sense the information ofthe cylindrical card 40, the comb structure 45 is moved downward to theleft as viewed in F IG. 1 so that the plates 44, and particularly theplate 44 cooperating with the feeler needle 43 are lowered until thefeeler needles 43 rest on the card 40. If the specific feeler needle 43finds a hole in the card 40, it passes through the card, and theassociated plate 44 assumes a position in which the comb structure 45cannot engage plate 44' when moving in the direction of plates 44. Whilethe other needles 47 are pushed back by plates 44, needle 47 cannot bepushed back by the stopped plate 44 so that the plate 48 remains in theillustrated untensioned position in which the hookshaped end 54 overlapswith a knife 49' of an upwardly and downwardly reciprocating grid ofknives. Consequently, knife 49' engages the hook 54 of plate 48' andmoves the same upward in the direction of the double arrow 50. The cord36 secured to plate 48 is pulled through the respective perforation of aplate 51 in upward direction, so that the rear end 35 of the lockinglatch 31 to which the cord 36 is secured, is withdrawn. Cord 36 isguided in a guide means 37 on bracket 32. The actuated cord pulls therespective locking means to the inoperative position so that the headportion 17 of needle 13 is released, and can freely move in the rearwardhigher portion of guideway 14.

During the following upward stroke of the table 26 and transportingmeans 23,24, the front end 19 of needle 13 is pushed by the web 20 intothe guideway 15 to a completely retracted inoperative position, and dueto the fact that the needle 13 is not locked, it cannot penetrate theweb, or otherwise depress the same. In the above-described arrangement,a hole in card 40 means that the needle 13 will not penetrate into theweb 20, whereas a sensed unperforated portion of the card causes thelocking of the needle by the latch 31 under the action of spring 34, andconsequent penetration of the needle 13 into the web.

After the table 26 with the web has reached the highest point of thereciprocating stroke, it moves downward in a stroke away from theneedles, and it is desired that the needle 13 moves at the same timewithout any delay in the guideway 14 back to the operative positionprojecting out of the needle bar 12, as illustrated. Since the smallweight of the needles is not sufficient to assure a return of thedisplaced needles from the retracted position to the operativeprojecting position, return pins 38 are mounted on a support 39 whichmoves together with the table 26, being mounted on common supportingmeans, not shown, which are operated by cam means. Pins 38 register withthe guideways 14 and project into the rear end of the same. When thesupporting means, not shown, move together with the pins 38 downward,the needles which were placed in the retracted position by the pressureof the unpenetrated web 20, are pushed by the pins 38 to the projectingoperative position, in which the spring 34 causes the locking latches 31to move into the guideway 14 behind the head portion 17 of therespective needle to lock the same. If in accordance with the program,no penetration of the web by a specific needle is required, card 40causes a mechanical impulse for operating the respective cord 36 tounlock the respective needle.

The transporting means 23, 24 are now operated to move the web one stepso that the row of needles 13 is located above a next followingstrip-shaped portion of web 20, which is stitched during the followingcycle of operations in accordance with the program on card 40 so thatselected needles are locked and penetrate into the web 20, while otherneedles are not selected and are pushed back without penetrating theweb.

It may now be assumed that during the next following cycle the needle 13has to penetrate the web in accordance with the program. This requiresmovement of card for one step, while the comb structure moves upwardalong a slanted path, and lifts all plates 44 so that also feeler needle43', which was located in the hole of card 40, is pulled out of thehole, so that card 42 can be shifted one'step to the next sensingposition.

It is now assumed that in the region of the card opposite the feelerneedle 43, no hole is provided. Consequently, feeler needle43 remains inthe raised position, and a corresponding plate 44 also remains in thisposition. By the above-described movement of the comb structure 45, thebent portions of the same engage the plate 44', and other plates, andplate 44 pushes with its head against the control needle 47' whichpushes the plate 48 with the hook 54 away from knife 49'. When the gridof knives is moved upward in the direction of the arrow'50, the plate48' is not engaged by the respective knife and remains in theillustrated position so that no pull is exerted by cord 36 on thelocking latch 31 which is held by spring 34 in the illustrated lockingposition behind the head 17 of the respective needle 13. i

The cords 36 connected with the other plates 48 are respectivelyconnected to other locking latches which cooperate with the row ofneedles l3, and each needle 13 is selectively locked, or remains freefor movement in guideway 14, in accordance with the pattern recorded oncard 40.

If the design pattern formed by the depressed portions and non-depressedportions 25 of web 20 is narrow, and extends over only a part of theneedles 13 of the row, it is possible toconnect the locking latches 31of needles which have to assume the same position to the end of cords 36which together are connected to a single plate 48, so that severallocking latches are simultaneously operated in the same manner by thesingle plate 48 selected by card 40.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a finished stitched web 60, made in accordancewith the invention. The web con sists of two superimposedfibrous fleeces61, 62 having different distinguishable colors, forexample the fleecelayer 62 may be yellow, and the fleece layer 61 blue. Before the fleecelayers are superimposed, a powder 63 consisting of a thermoplasticmaterial which bonds the superimposed layers 61, 62 when heated isapplied two the inner surface of the layers 61, 62.

The two layers, bonded together, are supplied by the transporting device21 to the working position under the needle holder 12 where the needlesof the row are selectively lockedand unlocked in accordance with theprogram, so that selected needles penetrate the web 20, and otherneedles are pushed back to the inoperative position because they are notlocked. Since the colored pattern 67 is to appear on the front face ofthe front layer 61, the web 60 is placed in the apparatus on table 26with the rearface 64 of the rear layer 62 on top. As schematically shownin FIG. 3, the penetrating needles push by the barbs or hooks thereof,fibers of layer 62 into the lower front layer 61, so that on the rearface 64 depressed portions 66 are made, while on the front face 65 ofthe front layer 61, fibers of layer 62 appear along the depressedportions 66. If the needles make the stitches closely enough on the web,only the yellow fibers of the layer 62 are visible along the patternregion 67 of the front face 65, as shown in FIG. 2. Assuming that otherportions 68 are less densely stitched, the layers 61, 62 remain onportions 68 at the original thickness, and are not depressed. On thefront face 65 of the finished product 60, the corresponding regions 69remain at the original blue color of the front fleece 61 because nofibers of the rear layer 62 are pushed through the front layer 61.Consequently, FIG. 2 shows yellow pattern portions 67, and bluebackground portions 69. No such different colors appear on the rear face64of the rear layer 62, but the same has depressed portions 66corresponding to the pattern on portions of normal height 68.

Depending whether in a particular situation, a relief structure ispreferred for representing a pattern, or whether a colored pattern ispreferred, the size and number of needles is selected but it is alsopossible to select the thickness of the layers of the initial webdifferently. If a relief structure with a depressed pattern ispreferred, the side of the web confronting the needles becomes the frontface with the relief pattern, while in the event that a front face witha colored pattern is preferred, the side of the web remote from theneedles becomes the front face. FIG. 4 illustrates a web with a patternas shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, applied to a backing web 71 of greaterthickness. The backing web and the patterned composite web 60 areconnected to each other by stitching which can be widely spaced. There,- lief structure face 24 faces the backing web 71, and is invisible.The backing web 71 is advantageously provided with a woven bottom layer72. The uniform, widely spaced stitching 72 does not substantiallyinfluence the colored pattern on the front face 65. The composite fabricshown in FIG. 4 is advantageously used as a floor covering, such as awall-to-wall carpet.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofapparatus for making a pattern on a fibrous web differing from the typesdescribed above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in anapparatus on which a pattern is stitched by locked needles in accordancewith a program, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown,since various modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making a pattern on a fibrous web, comprising, incombination, supporting means for a fibrous web; transporting means fortransporting said web on said supporting means; needle holder means forguiding a plurality of needles for individual movement between aninoperative position located in said needle holder means and anoperative position projecting from said needle holder means toward saidweb; a plurality of locking means correlated with said needles,respectively, each locking means being individually movable between aninoperativeposition, and a locking position for locking the respectiveneedle in said operative position to said needle holder means; controlmeans for actuating in accordance with a desired pattern, at least onelocking means of said plurality of locking means to move to said lockingposition so that the respective selected needle is locked in saidoperative position against movement relative to said needle holder meansto said inoperative position; and means for moving said supporting meansand needle holder means relative to each other in the longitudinaldirection of said needles so that movement of said supporting means andneedle holder means toward each other causes engagement of said web byall needles in said operative position, but penetration into said webonly by selected needles locked in said operative position so that thepenetrated web portions are deformed, while non-selected locking meansin said inoperative position permit other web portions to move therespective unlocked needles to said inoperative position so that saidother web portions are not deformed whereby the deformed web portionsand said other web portions form a pattern.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising means for returning saidneedles from said inoperative position to said operative position.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said needle holder means hasa plurality of guideways in which said needles are mounted for movementbetween said inoperative position and said operative position; whereineach guideway has forward guide portion holding the respective needle inboth said inoperative and operative positions, and a rearward guideportion for the rear portion of the needle in said inoperative positionwhen the front portion of the needle is located in said forward guideportion; and wherein each needle in said operative position projectsfrom said needle holder means a distance not greater than the length ofsaid rearward guide portion.

4. Apparatus for making a pattern on a fibrous web comprising, incombination supporting means for a fibrous web; transporting means fortransporting said web stepwise on said supporting means; a needle holdermeans for guiding a plurality of needles between an inoperative positionlocated in said needle holder means, and an operative positionprojecting from the same toward said web, said needle holder meansincluding a bar transverse to the transporting direction of said web,and having a row of guide ways perpendicular to said web for guidingsaid needle between said inoperative and operative positions, said barfurther having a row of bores transverse to said guide ways opening intothe same, respectively; a plurality of locking means correlated withsaid needles, respectively, and having an inoperative position and alocking position for locking the respective needles in said operativeposition, said plurality of locking means including a row of latchesmounted in said bores for movement between said inoperative position andsaid locking position, and projecting into said guide ways in saidlocking position for engaging the rear portions of needles in saidoperative position and locking the same; and control means for actuatingselected locking means to move to said locking position so that therespective needles are locked in said operative position after a step ofsaid web so that relative movement of said supporting means and saidneedle holder means toward each other causes penetration of lockedneedles in said operative position into said web for depressing thepenetrated portions of said web while non-selected locking means permitother portions of said web to push the respective correlated needles tosaid inoperative position so that said other portions are not depressedwhereby said depressed portions and said other portions of said web forma pattern.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein each locking means includes aspring biassing the respective latch toward the respective guideway sothat the latches project into said guideways for locking needles in saidoperative position against movement to said inoperative position; andwherein said control means include a plurality of actuating elementsrespectively connected with said latches for moving the latches ofnon-selected locking means to said inoperative position and for holdingsame in said inoperative positions during relative movement between saidneedle holder means and said web.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said actuating elements areharness cords of a jacquard machine.

7. Apparatus for making a pattern on a fibrous web, comprising, incombination, supporting means for fibrous web, including a table forsaid web formed with openings for the front ends of needles in saidoperative position; a needle holder means for guiding a plurality ofneedles between an inoperative position located in said needle holdermeans, and an operative position projecting from said needle holdermeans toward said web; transporting means for transporting said web andmounted on said supporting means for stepwise moving said web on saidtable, said supporting means with said transporting means and said webbeing movable in a reciprocating motion toward and away from said needleholder means while said web is not transported; a plurality of lockingmeans correlated with said needles, respectively, and having aninoperative position and a locking position for locking the respectiveneedles in said operative position; and control means for actuatingselected locking means to move to said locking position so that therespective needles are locked in said operative position after a step ofsaid web so that relative movement of said supporting means and saidneedle holder means toward each other causes penetration of lockedneedles in said operative position into said web for depressing thepenetrated portions of said web while non-selected locking means permitother portions of said web to push the respective correlated needles tosaid inoperative position so that said other portions are not depressedwhereby said depressed portions and said other portions of said web froma pattern.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said needle holder meansinclude a needle holder bar extending across said table and said web andhaving a row of guideways perpendicular to said table and web forguiding said needles; and wherein said supporting means include strippermeans located between said needle holder bar and said table with saidweb thereon so that during movement of said supporting means with saidtable and web away from said needle holder means, said stripper meansmoving with said table strip the penetrated web portions off needles insaid operative position.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said needle holder meansincludes a row of guideways perpendicular to said table for guiding saidneedles between said inoperative and operative positions, said guidewayspenetrating said needle-holder means and having open rear ends remotefrom said table and web; wherein said supporting means include a supportand a row of pins mounted on said support registering with saidguideways, respectively; and wherein said support reciprocate with saidtable so that said pins moving in said guideways push needles in saidinoperative position to said operative position during movement of saidtable and web away from said needle holder means.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said needle holder meansinclude a needle holder bar transverse to the direction in which saidweb is transported, and having a row of stepped bores for guiding saidneedles between said inoperative and operative positions; wherein eachbore has a rearward portion and a forward portion having a smallerdiameter than said rearward portion; wherein each needle has a mainportion slidably fitting into said forward portion and being guided bythe same, and a head portion at the rear end thereof slidably fittinginto said rearward portion of said stepped bore and being guided by thesame during movement of the respective needle to and from saidinoperative position; and wherein said head portion abuts a shoulderformed between said rearward and forward portions of said guideway whenthe respective needle is in said operative position. v

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein each locking means includesa locking latch, and a spring biassing said locking latch to move intothe rearward portion of the respective stepped bore to a lockingposition located behind said head portion; and wherein said controlmeans are program-controlled and comprise actuating-elements connectedwith said locking latches, respectively for moving non-selected lockinglatches against the action of said springs to inoperative positionslocated outside of said stepped bore.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting meanssupport said web in a position in which the front face of said webconfronts said needles so that a relief pattern is formed on said frontface by deformed and depressed and non-depressed portions.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said web includes a frontlayer and a rear layer superimposed on each other and having differentdistinguishable colors; wherein said supporting means supports said webin a position in which the front face of said front layer faces awayfrom said needles, and the rear face of said rear layer confronts saidneedles; and wherein said needles have means for displacing fibers ofthe penetrated and deformed portions of said rear layer through saidfront layer to said front face of said front layer during consecutivepenetration of said rear and front layers of said web while saidsupporting means and sai needle holder means move toward each other sothat the displaced fibers form a pattern on said front face of saidfront layer having the color of said rear layer.

1. Apparatus for making a pattern on a fibrous web, comprising, incombination, supporting means for a fibrous web; transporting means fortransporting said web on said supporting means; needle holder means forguiding a plurality of needles for individual movement between aninoperative position located in said needle holder means and anoperative position projecting from said needle holder means toward saidweb; a plurality of locking means correlated with said needles,respectively, each locking means being individually movable between aninoperative position, and a locking position for locking the respectiveneedle in said operative position to said needle holder means; controlmeans for actuating in accordance with a desired pattern, at least onelocking means of said plurality of locking means to move to said lockingposition so that the respective selected needle is locked in saidoperative position against movement relative to said needle holder meansto said inoperative position; and means for moving said supporting meaNsand needle holder means relative to each other in the longitudinaldirection of said needles so that movement of said supporting means andneedle holder means toward each other causes engagement of said web byall needles in said operative position, but penetration into said webonly by selected needles locked in said operative position so that thepenetrated web portions are deformed, while non-selected locking meansin said inoperative position permit other web portions to move therespective unlocked needles to said inoperative position so that saidother web portions are not deformed whereby the deformed web portionsand said other web portions form a pattern.
 2. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 comprising means for returning said needles from saidinoperative position to said operative position.
 3. Apparatus as claimedin claim 1 wherein said needle holder means has a plurality of guidewaysin which said needles are mounted for movement between said inoperativeposition and said operative position; wherein each guideway has forwardguide portion holding the respective needle in both said inoperative andoperative positions, and a rearward guide portion for the rear portionof the needle in said inoperative position when the front portion of theneedle is located in said forward guide portion; and wherein each needlein said operative position projects from said needle holder means adistance not greater than the length of said rearward guide portion. 4.Apparatus for making a pattern on a fibrous web comprising, incombination supporting means for a fibrous web; transporting means fortransporting said web stepwise on said supporting means; a needle holdermeans for guiding a plurality of needles between an inoperative positionlocated in said needle holder means, and an operative positionprojecting from the same toward said web, said needle holder meansincluding a bar transverse to the transporting direction of said web,and having a row of guide ways perpendicular to said web for guidingsaid needle between said inoperative and operative positions, said barfurther having a row of bores transverse to said guide ways opening intothe same, respectively; a plurality of locking means correlated withsaid needles, respectively, and having an inoperative position and alocking position for locking the respective needles in said operativeposition, said plurality of locking means including a row of latchesmounted in said bores for movement between said inoperative position andsaid locking position, and projecting into said guide ways in saidlocking position for engaging the rear portions of needles in saidoperative position and locking the same; and control means for actuatingselected locking means to move to said locking position so that therespective needles are locked in said operative position after a step ofsaid web so that relative movement of said supporting means and saidneedle holder means toward each other causes penetration of lockedneedles in said operative position into said web for depressing thepenetrated portions of said web while non-selected locking means permitother portions of said web to push the respective correlated needles tosaid inoperative position so that said other portions are not depressedwhereby said depressed portions and said other portions of said web forma pattern.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein each locking meansincludes a spring biassing the respective latch toward the respectiveguideway so that the latches project into said guideways for lockingneedles in said operative position against movement to said inoperativeposition; and wherein said control means include a plurality ofactuating elements respectively connected with said latches for movingthe latches of non-selected locking means to said inoperative positionand for holding same in said inoperative positions during relativemovement between said needle holder means and said web.
 6. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 5 wherein said actuating eLements are harness cords ofa jacquard machine.
 7. Apparatus for making a pattern on a fibrous web,comprising, in combination, supporting means for fibrous web, includinga table for said web formed with openings for the front ends of needlesin said operative position; a needle holder means for guiding aplurality of needles between an inoperative position located in saidneedle holder means, and an operative position projecting from saidneedle holder means toward said web; transporting means for transportingsaid web and mounted on said supporting means for stepwise moving saidweb on said table, said supporting means with said transporting meansand said web being movable in a reciprocating motion toward and awayfrom said needle holder means while said web is not transported; aplurality of locking means correlated with said needles, respectively,and having an inoperative position and a locking position for lockingthe respective needles in said operative position; and control means foractuating selected locking means to move to said locking position sothat the respective needles are locked in said operative position aftera step of said web so that relative movement of said supporting meansand said needle holder means toward each other causes penetration oflocked needles in said operative position into said web for depressingthe penetrated portions of said web while non-selected locking meanspermit other portions of said web to push the respective correlatedneedles to said inoperative position so that said other portions are notdepressed whereby said depressed portions and said other portions ofsaid web from a pattern.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein saidneedle holder means include a needle holder bar extending across saidtable and said web and having a row of guideways perpendicular to saidtable and web for guiding said needles; and wherein said supportingmeans include stripper means located between said needle holder bar andsaid table with said web thereon so that during movement of saidsupporting means with said table and web away from said needle holdermeans, said stripper means moving with said table strip the penetratedweb portions off needles in said operative position.
 9. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 7 wherein said needle holder means includes a row ofguideways perpendicular to said table for guiding said needles betweensaid inoperative and operative positions, said guideways penetratingsaid needle holder means and having open rear ends remote from saidtable and web; wherein said supporting means include a support and a rowof pins mounted on said support registering with said guideways,respectively; and wherein said support reciprocate with said table sothat said pins moving in said guideways push needles in said inoperativeposition to said operative position during movement of said table andweb away from said needle holder means.
 10. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said needle holder means include a needle holder bartransverse to the direction in which said web is transported, and havinga row of stepped bores for guiding said needles between said inoperativeand operative positions; wherein each bore has a rearward portion and aforward portion having a smaller diameter than said rearward portion;wherein each needle has a main portion slidably fitting into saidforward portion and being guided by the same, and a head portion at therear end thereof slidably fitting into said rearward portion of saidstepped bore and being guided by the same during movement of therespective needle to and from said inoperative position; and whereinsaid head portion abuts a shoulder formed between said rearward andforward portions of said guideway when the respective needle is in saidoperative position.
 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein eachlocking means includes a locking latch, and a spring biassing saidlocking latch to move into the rearward portion of the respectivestepped bore To a locking position located behind said head portion; andwherein said control means are program-controlled and comprise actuatingelements connected with said locking latches, respectively for movingnon-selected locking latches against the action of said springs toinoperative positions located outside of said stepped bore. 12.Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting means supportsaid web in a position in which the front face of said web confrontssaid needles so that a relief pattern is formed on said front face bydeformed and depressed and non-depressed portions.
 13. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said web includes a front layer and a rearlayer superimposed on each other and having different distinguishablecolors; wherein said supporting means supports said web in a position inwhich the front face of said front layer faces away from said needles,and the rear face of said rear layer confronts said needles; and whereinsaid needles have means for displacing fibers of the penetrated anddeformed portions of said rear layer through said front layer to saidfront face of said front layer during consecutive penetration of saidrear and front layers of said web while said supporting means and saidneedle holder means move toward each other so that the displaced fibersform a pattern on said front face of said front layer having the colorof said rear layer.